The Poetical Works of - OUDL Home

554
ASTROPHEL
A pastor all Aeglogue vpon the death of
Sir Phillip Sidney Knight,
C
Lycon Colin
Olin, well fits thy sad cheare this sad
stownd,
This wofullstownd, whereinall things complame
This great mishap, this greeuous losse of ow res
Hear'st thou the Orown? how with hollow
sownd
He slides away, and murmuring doth plaine,
And seemes to say vnto the fading flowres,
Along his bankes, vnto the bared trees,
Phlltstdes is dead Vp lolly swaine,
Thou that with skill canst tune a dolefull lay,
Help him to mourn My hart with grief doth
freese, 10
Hoarse is my voice with crying, else a part
Sure would I beare, though rude But as I may,
With sobs and sighes I second will thy song,
And so expresse the sorrow es of my hart
Colin Ah Lycon, Lycon, what need skill, to
teach
A gneued mynd powre forth his plaints - 1 c.
But if my plaints annoy thee where thou sit
In secret shade or cave , vouchsafe (0 Pan)
To pardon me, and here this hard constraint
With patience while I sing, and pittie it 42
And eke ye rurall Muses, that do dwell
In these wilde woods , If euer piteous plaint
We did endite, or taught a wofull minde
With words of pure affect, his gnefe to tell,
Instruct me now Now Colin then goe on,
And I will follow thee, though farre behinde
Colin Philhsides is dead 0 harmfull death,
0 deadly harme Vnhappie Albion 50
When shalt thou see emong thy shepheards all,
Any so sage, so perfect ? Whom vneath
Enuie could touch for vertuous life and skill,
Curteous, valiant, and hberall
Behold the sacred Pales, where with haire
Vntrust she sitts, in shade of yonder hill
And her faire face bent sadly downe, doth send
A floud of teares to bathe the earth, and there
how Doth call the heau'ns despightfull, enuious,
long
Cruell his fate, that made so short an end 60
Hath the pore Turtle gon to school (weenest Of that same life, well worthie to haue bene
thou)
Prolongd with many yeares, happie and
To learne to mourne her lost make ? No, no, famous
each
.The Nymphs and Oreades her round about
Creature by nature can tell how to waile UDo sit lamenting on the grassie grene,
Seest not these flocks, how sad they wander And with shrill cries, beating their whitest
now ? 20 brests,
Seemeth their leaders bell their bkating tunes Accuse the direfull dart that death sent out
In dolefull sound Like him, not one doth faile To giue the fatall stroke The starres they
With hanging head to shew a heauie cheare blame,
What bird (1 pray thee) hast thou seen, that That deife or carelesse secme at their request
prunes
The pleasant shade of stitely groues they shun,
Himselfe of late ? did any cheerfull note They leaue their cristall springs, where they
Come to thine eares, or gladsome sight appeare wont frame 70
Vnto thine eies, since that same fatall howre ? Sweet bowres of Myrtel twigs and Lawrel faire,
Hath not the aire put on his mourning coat, To sport themselues free from the scorching
And testified his grief with flowing teares ? Sun
Sith then, it seemeth each thing to his powre And now the hollow caucs where horror darke
Doth vs inuite to make a sad consort, 31 Doth dwell, whence banisht is the gladsome aire
Come let vs loyne our mournfull song with They secke, and there in mourning spend
theirs
their time
Gnefe will endite, and sorrow will enforce With wailfull tunes, whiles wolues do howle
Thy voice, and Eccho will our words report and barke,
Lye Though my rude rymes, ill with thy And seem to beare a bourdon to their plaint
verses frame,
Lye Philhsides is dead 0 dolefull ryme
That others farre excell, yet will I force Why should ray toong expresse thee ? who is
My selfe to answere thee the best I can,
left 79
And honor my base words with his high name Now to vphold thy hopes, when they do faint,